Results 20,801-20,820 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fuel Poverty (1 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Energy poverty, or fuel poverty is influenced by a person’s income, the energy efficiency of their home, and the cost of the energy they use in their home. In 2020, the ESRI estimated that 17.5% of households in Ireland could be at risk of energy poverty. Lower income households living in inefficient homes are more at risk...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (1 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: My Department continues to develop the terms and conditions for ORESS 1, the first offshore wind auction under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme. As noted in Question No. 10 of 6 April 2022, the ORESS 1 auction is scheduled to commence in Q4 2022, subject to the availability of a sufficient quantity of eligible projects for a competitive auction. A key auction...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (1 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.  The issues which the Deputy has raised regarding the reopening of Dunleer train station and the potential benefit from services to that station are first and foremost operational matters for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Tolls (1 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Therefore, matters relating to the day to day...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (1 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Under the National Development Plan €1bn has been allocated to specific carbon reduction measures, including vehicle electrification. Providing a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of my Department. The Programme for Government commits to 7% average annual emissions reduction to 2030; ultimately, the goal is for a zero-emission mobility system by 2050. The...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Pension Provisions (1 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The CIÉ Group has two pension schemes, namely the Regular Wages Scheme ("RWS") and 1951 superannuation scheme ("1951 Scheme") and issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the schemes, the CIÉ Group and their employees. As the Deputy may be aware, the CIÉ Group is actively engaged in introducing changes to the schemes aimed at...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is correct that this is a critical issue for our people. The most important factor affecting electricity prices in Ireland is the continuing upward trend in international gas prices, which is affecting electricity prices across Europe and the world. Nevertheless, it is true that Ireland has higher electricity prices than the EU average. In addition to Ireland's fossil fuel...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is right. The price of gas has gone beyond compare and up to higher levels. For more than 20 years, it was fairly steady and at a price range typically measured in pence sterling because that is where our gas market is priced from. As the Deputy said, it has gone from some 40 or 50 pence per unit up to about 180 pence in the UK pricing yesterday. I have just come out of a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I do not agree with the approach being advocated by Sinn Féin and I think the Government approach is better. We are sitting down and talking to a whole variety of partners, such as the social partners, Social Justice Ireland and the other groups who are part of the social pillar in the National Economic and Social Council, as well as the environmental pillar and also unions and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As Deputy Nash knows the responsibility for regulation of the electricity market, including the compliance of electricity and gas suppliers with their licence conditions, is a matter for the independent regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU. The CRU was assigned responsibility for that role in the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Deputy Nash is right, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and his Department have a key role. We are working closely together on a full range of different initiatives, the summer economic statement, the Tax Strategy Group this summer and the work to which I referred in engaging with the social partners. I think the right approach for us is to get a blend and mix of different...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We have been doing targeted measures as well as the likes of the energy credit or the reductions in VAT and excise which apply across the board. So many different Irish householders have been hit. There has also been a very significant increase in the fuel allowance and targeted measures such as the reduction in public transport fares which helped those on lower incomes in particular who...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The survey and design work for the new high-speed fibre broadband network under the national broadband plan is complete or ongoing by National Broadband Ireland, NBI, in every county in Ireland. Survey work feeds into detailed designs for each of the 227 deployment areas. I am advised by NBI that as at 20 May 2022, last month, over 327,600 premises have now been surveyed, more than 298,600...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: First, I will give Deputy Ó Murchú further details, maybe on his own county, County Louth, to give an example of more precise figures. As of 29 April last, more than 7,800 premises had been surveyed in the county with over 4,000 premises under construction or complete, almost 3,200 premises available to order or pre-order, and almost 2,500 premises passed and available for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: That is exactly right. ComReg is right to be looking at other innovate ways in which we can provide coverage. The more universal and the quicker we can get universal coverage the better. The Department, as I said, NBI and Eir are looking at a range of different ways in which we can accelerate and dovetail the work of the various organisations. One of the other issues, which, coming out...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: In 2020, the European Union imported almost 24% of its total energy needs from Russia, including 19% of its total coal needs. Ireland's largest power station, Moneypoint, in County Clare, which is owned and operated by the ESB, uses coal which has in recent times been sourced from Russia. In April, the European Union adopted a fifth package of restrictive measures against Russia in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I absolutely understand. In fact, I visited Colombia a number of years ago on a climate exchange and I was absolutely aware of the range of different issues around the extractive industries in Colombia and the human rights and other elements of it. As I said, the Department and I do not have a direct role but the Department of Foreign Affairs does. It has been following developments...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We can all absolutely support that call for the promotion, support and protection of human rights. In its work the ESB plays a key role and it is working with other purchasers through what is known as the Bettercoal initiative, which is a global not-for-profit industry initiative established to promote the continuous improvement of corporate responsibility in the coal supply chain. The ESB...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, is one of the major Government policies to help deliver on the ambition in the Climate Action Plan 2021 of up to 80% renewable electricity by 2030. I recently announced the provisional results of the second RESS auction, which is expected to deliver an increase of nearly 20% in Ireland's renewable energy generation. Bid prices were higher than...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am very supportive of that kind of approach. I agree we should work collectively and see how we can reduce costs. I agree that planning is one of the factors, involving long timelines and uncertainty in the Irish planning system. The Attorney General is working now to update and modernise the 2020 planning Act, and that will be completed by the end of this year. That is critical. I...